Re: LFC Sold to NESV (New England Sports Ventures)
[quote author=Judge Jules link=topic=41783.msg1189936#msg1189936 date=1286362825]
Halmeister, I think it goes something like this. Club sold to US sports group, headed by very rich (tho' not to oil sheikh level) businessman, who have turned around the Boston Red Sox baseball team and are well thought of over there as good owners. Deal gives H and G their initial investment back but no profit, so they may try and fight it in the courts, though their chances of success are slim at best. People are rightly wary but, with a few exceptions, cautiously optimistic.
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This piece in The Independent suggests G&H take a hit of about £100m.
Q. Why are Hicks and Gillett so against the offer?
A. They believe the price of £300million grossly under-values the club - and because they would each take a massive financial hit.
Q. But £300million seems like a lot of money - isn't that far more than they paid for the club in 2007?
A. Yes, they paid £219million, funded entirely by bank loans, but since then the debt has swelled due to interest and other fees to £280million, and they have invested £144.4million into Kop Holdings via a company registered in the Cayman Islands, which was then lent to Liverpool.
Q. What would Hicks and Gillett be left with if the £300million buy-out goes ahead?
A. Around £200million would go towards paying off the Royal Bank of Scotland and Wachovia debts. RBS would be likely to leave around £30million of the debt as a credit facility for the new owners. Only after all the other creditors are paid would any left-over cash go to Hicks and Gillett towards the £144.4million loan they put in.
Q. What about the penalty fees that Hicks and Gillett have built up with RBS?
A. They total around £45million but they would no doubt be subject to legal challenges too.
Q. So what size of loss are Hicks and Gillett contemplating?
A. A sizeable one, even as much as £100million...
The Independent - Clicky